Fire claims 19th-century East Bloomfield barn

The blaze apparently was sparked by lightning during Thursday's storm.

Stephanie Bergeron

The horses saw it first.

A lightning bolt combined with about 6,000 bales of hay is thought to be the cause of a fire Thursday that destroyed a roughly 200-year-old barn and injured a horse on Hallock Road.

Owner Christopher Wade was home when he heard a crack of thunder.

"I heard it hit and my TV set just flashed — I mean sparks," he said.

When Wade's son, Michael, ran outside to check on the horses, they were all alert and staring at the barn. He looked up to see that part of the building was in flames. One of the horses, Sassy, was spooked and lying in the mud. Sassy later calmed down but was limping in a nearby field. Christopher Wade said he thought she was either struck by lightning or hit by debris from the barn.

The fire spread from the main structure to the newer addition and took two hours to put out. Heavy rain didn't help or hinder putting out the fire, but a lack of public water meant water had to be brought in by tank trucks.

Lynn Parrish, Ontario County deputy fire coordinator, said the barn's metal roof made the fire particularly difficult to get under control. Eventually, crews had to take the barn apart to finally douse the flames.

All of the handful of horses the family owns got out of the barn and Christopher Wade managed to remove his tractors. But as fire crews battled the blaze, Wade and his family — April and their son — lamented what was lost.

The barns was "chucked right full" of hay they were supposed to sell to area horse farmers, Christopher Wade said, and there were some tools and other farm equipment inside. A weather vane clung to the top as crews removed the walls below.

The Wades purchased the property about 35 years ago, but the barn dates back to the early 1800s. They added an addition to the back of the structure and built it around an old American elm tree that they hoped to preserve. Michael Wade said it will be especially sad if the tree doesn't survive.

The Wades hoped to add onto the barn while keeping its character. They wanted to install an area for the horses and give the whole building a fresh coat of paint. Now they will have to start from scratch. Christopher Wade said he didn't want a shiny metal barn, instead preferring the weathered charm of old wooden ones.

"It gave it character," he said. "We liked the weather ... there aren't many (wooden barns) left around."